Green With Envy
by Nellbell222
Summary: Serena had nothing to be jealous of. They were just friends. They were just boyfriend and girlfriend. They were just married. They were just parents. Dan would soon see that he made a terrible mistake and return to her. Right?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've missed Gossip Girl…and Dan/Blair stories so I'm writing a three-shot, maybe four chapter doo-dad on them. Or maybe more! ;) It's from Serena's POV and kinda resembles Chuck's eye view but over a longer period of time. I love making Serena uncomfortable cuz she is a brat. So, anyways, enjoy! :) Review!**

**Green With Envy **

**By: Nellbell222**

Serena was not one to be jealous. At all. She got whatever she wanted, whoever she wanted and that was just how life went for her. For twenty three years. That was until she went to pick up her best friend and love of her life from the airport.

Dan and Blair had been on a two month trip, touring France and Italy and even some of England. They however skipped Monaco for obvious reasons. Blair had told Serena over the phone in Paris, while shushing Dan that she was very excited to be on this trip with her new guy best friend. And Serena was ecstatic for them until she became lonely in the city by herself. When Dan had sent pictures of Blair and him on top of the Eiffel Tower with their arms wrapped around each other; she actually felt bad for herself because Serena had declined the invitation to go with them that Blair extended to her.

And it only got worse when she got voicemail messages like, "Blair and Dan are in Rome and can't be bothered with your call. Leave a message." But Serena was determined to put on a happy face and not act **jealous** of their trip, however hard it may be. So she sat with a sign that screamed 'Welcome Home Blair and Dan!' and thought exactly what she was going to say to Dan.

In the car ride to the airport, she had realized that she missed Dan more than Blair. That she still might love Dan and might still want to be with him. So, when they came to the lobby, she was going to tell Dan that she wanted to be with him forever. And not be a free bird.

She watched the floods of people increasing and then saw her two best friends at the top of the escalator. She held up the sign but they weren't looking at her or even for her. The two were talking animatedly to each other and laughing. Serena even saw Blair wipe a tear away. Finally, Dan spotted Serena and Serena's now stupid feeling sign and he waved to her. They ran down the rest of the stairs and Blair enveloped Serena in a huge hug.

"S! Oh my god! We have so much to tell you! I missed you so much! God, you should have come! England was alright, France was wonderful and Italy was AMAZING! Serena, it was just magical there. Daniel, tell her how great the trip was."

Dan looked into Serena's eyes and Serena felt her heart surge but when she looked deeper into his eyes, she saw that they were not filled with any love or lust but pure excitement from the high of his trip. "Serena, it was the greatest trip of my life. Of Blair's too. The people were the greatest and it was the best places to go in the world. Did Blair tell you that we almost extended the trip for another month? We were this close, "he indicated a minute amount with his thumb and pointer finger, "to just staying in Italy forever." Blair was watching Dan intently, with her mouth curved in the most genuine smile Serena had ever seen on her.

"That's great guys! You need to tell me all about it. Let's go out to lunch?" Blair nodded but oddly looked for Dan for confirmation.

"I'm in but if Dan…" Serena raised her eyebrow at Blair's statement. When did she ever care about Dan Humphrey's approval?

"Definitely! We just need to pick up our suitcases at the drop off point. I told Blair that she should have sent some home like she did with the clothes we got in Milan but she only sent one."

"Humphrey! I was being culturally diverse! I was too busy to send clothes home. Let me go ask where they are. Stay here." Blair touched Dan's arm lightly as she left and Serena felt like someone punched her in the stomach. When did Blair and Dan become so touchy feely?

Serena tried to open her mouth to say that she loved Dan but she couldn't get over something else first. "Dan, how did you pay for all of this?"

When Dan laughed, she suddenly felt like a child. "I accepted your mother's trust fund finally. Blair really wanted me to come and I just couldn't say no. So, I asked your mother if the offer still stood for the trust fund and she said absolutely yes. So, now, I guess I am almost one hundred percent Upper East Side now."

Serena laughed but she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Dan gave up all of his morals to go on a trip with Blair? He finally took the millions that her mother had been shoving on him from the start? She was about to tell him what she wanted to say since early this morning but Blair chose that moment to strut on over with gorgeous shoes that made Serena seethe.

"They are already on the way home. So, we are all set. We should go to somewhere light. Dan and I ate a ton of Italian candy on the plane ride." Serena nodded but felt her stomach protest. And then Serena noticed something about what Blair was wearing.

"Blair, are those jean shorts you are wearing?" Blair smiled.

"Yeah, I got them from Giorgio Armani himself. He said at the fashion show that I have the greatest legs for them. I mean, not even I, dictator of taste, could argue with God. And Dan also forced me into them with bribery. But now that I have them on, I kind of like them…not that I will ever wear them again!" Dan smirked when Blair said 'dictator of taste' and Serena sensed that it was an inside joke.

Soon, the threesome made their way to Athena Lee, a brand new café on the Upper East Side. And Serena prepared herself to hear all about the wonderful, amazing, fantastic trip she should have gone on. And she did.

The two pals talked about regular thing such as shopping in Milan, Dan's writing which he promised his boss at Vanity Fair that he would do, Paris's landmarks that Blair never got tired of seeing, the local bars Dan coursed Blair into going to and the food of all three countries; Blair raved about Italy more than her beloved France. But they also talked about more intimate things like the Fourth of July at Blair's dad's house where Dan and Roman beat Blair and Howard at horseshoe; driving from London in a tiny car and stopping at all of the big cities until they realized that they had crossed over into Ireland illegally; skinny dipping in the Mediterranean Sea at midnight; and when Dan proposed to Blair so they could get free dessert at an overly expensive restaurant, even for Blair.

Serena watched them rehash their almost **romantic** trip and saw how at east they were with each other. She watched how Blair touched Dan's shoulder as he talked about his favorite writing piece he did and the way Dan grabbed Blair's waist to pull her out of the way as some man came speeding around the corner.

"S, you have to go with us next time."

"Next time? When are you guys going back?" Blair and Dan looked at each other and then back at her. Blair spoke first.

"Dan's boss loved the writing he did while in Italy so we are going back in two months. I am going to be in the Italian Vogue offices. S, you don't have a job so you can just come with us! We are going to be there for four months with one month in France. You have to come! I don't know if I can be that far away from you for that long. We aren't going to be coming back for the holidays."

Serena was flabbergasted. How in the hell did this happen? Dan and Blair were going to be leaving the Upper East again in just two months. And not coming back for another four. They weren't going to be back for the holidays. She looked to Dan for any sign that he didn't want to leave her or that he might still have any type of feeling towards her but came up with nothing. It was heartbreaking and it left Serena feeling…jealous.

Her eyes narrowed at Blair unconsciously and she wanted to scream at Blair for taking her Dan. But she guessed by the way he looked at Blair; he was Blair's Dan now.

And Serena **hated **that.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and alerts and favorites! Gosh! I was so happy to see how many people liked this story! Do you want me to spread it out for longer than 4 chapters? Tell me or forever hold your peace! :) Enjoy! **

**Green With Envy 2.0-Thanksgiving **

**By: Nellbell222**

It took about 3 days before Blair finally came to Serena to ask permission to date Dan. Or so Serena thought. No, Blair was actually there telling Serena that Dan and her were dating and had been since the beginning of their trip. She literally couldn't believe what she was hearing but she was hearing what she had been dreading ever since she saw them on the escalator in the JFK airport.

It took another 3 days before Serena realized that she couldn't stay in New York and be insanely jealous of their perfect relationship that Serena could have had with Dan if she just grew up like Blair apparently had. So, Serena told everyone that she had a job in California waiting for her and the attention was reverted back to her and it was what kept her sane for her last week in New York. She took the red eye to Los Angeles and left her precious city in the dust.

But, after almost a year, Serena was going back. She deflected Blair's and her mother's pleas for her to return with work but it was the holidays and Blair wanted Serena to be home with her so she could finally talk about Dan and her's foreign excursion that lasted two extra months on top of the four and to spend some quality time with her best friend after a year apart. Her mother also insisted that she come home as well because they missed her dearly and Eric had a "friend" he was bringing home for the first time in a while. Lily had said that she missed her in such a weak voice that it made Serena's heart melt.

And that's why she now found herself in JFK, waiting for Dan to pick her up. Had he changed since the last time she saw him? Blair always mentioned very little of him on the phone and when she received one of Dan's few phone calls, he mostly talked about her and her job. But she never asked about the happy couple. Why put her through the pain? She didn't need that kind of stress in her life.

"Serena!" She whipped her head around to see Dan Humphrey…and Nate Archibald waving her over. Serena scowled; she wanted to talk to Dan by herself. Maybe even get up the courage to ask him what he saw in Blair and what he didn't see in her anymore.

"Dan! Nate!" She hugged Nate and then Dan, breathing in Dan's Armani cologne. She had bought the same kind for Luka the actor; her short-lived fling.

"Hey California girl! How've ya been?" She smiled up at Dan and giggled at his lame attempt at a joke. God, she missed him.

"I've been good. My job keeps me really busy." Dan smiled at her and picked up her suitcase.

"What do you do again?" She jumped at the sound of Nate's voice. Serena had forgotten he was there. Hopefully he didn't see the way she looked at Dan.

"I'm an agent for stars. One of my clients actually is Lindsey Lohan's little sister." Nate nodded his head like he knew what she was talking about but Dan smiled at her and she automatically knew he understood. Didn't he feel the connection they had?

"She was in that new movie about switching bodies, right?" She knew that Dan would know. Serena nodded.

"Yeah, that was a big deal for her career. She is getting all kinds of endorsements now." Dan looked impressed to see Serena taking her job so seriously and it made her proud to have his attention.

"That's great. Blair wanted to go see it after she saw that trailer commercial on TV. Only movie she wanted to go see in theatres ever since that Marilyn Monroe biography. Now that was a bore." Nate laughed along with Dan and she sensed an inside joke. She frowned but said nothing. Everything went back to Blair now. Serena remembered a time when everything Dan said went back to her.

"Yeah, but Jenny and I ended up seeing it with Blair instead. Dan had to work late so we were forced to participate. Blair and Jenny couldn't stop laughing during the WHOLE thing about something Blair said at the start of the movie. It was madness."

Jenny? Blair? Nate? Jenny and Blair? Nate and Jenny? What?

"Huh? You and Jenny are an item?" Dan laughed and Serena shrank. The laugh was demeaning and used for children when they did something extremely stupid. Thankfully, however, it wasn't for her, but Nate.

"Shut up Dan. Yeah, well, I've kind of been seeing her for a while. I must've told you on the phone! Jenny moved back to the city last Christmas and we've been dating since Valentine 's Day."

No, he hadn't told her. He, Blair, Dan, her mother, Rufus had said nothing about Jenny Humphrey being back in the city for a whole year. Or that Blair and Jenny made up. Or that Nate and Jenny had been dating for 10 months. Serena suddenly felt so alienated that she couldn't deal with it; it almost made her want to call and have her stuff sent to the city. That was, until, they had gotten to the Van der Woodsen's penthouse.

As she followed Dan and Nate into her home, she was a stranger. Serena surely didn't want to return to New York feeling like a stranger in **her **city. Blair and Jenny were sitting on chairs by the stove and arguing about the time it would take to make homemade whipped cream.

"You Humphries are all the same. Rufus says that it doesn't take a day to bake a Thanksgiving dessert menu. But it did. Dan said it wouldn't take him that long to get to the airport and he was late. And now, you are telling me that it would only take a minute to make fresh and perfect whipped cream. I think not."

Jenny laughed and shook her head. Serena smiled as well; that was her Blair. Blair spotted the trio walking in and first gave Nate a peck on the cheek and then kissed Dan on the lips. Serena's heart clenched but she focused on why she was here. To please everyone. Not to be a scorned ex-girlfriend.

"S! Oh my god!" She gave Serena a Blair-bear hug and kissed her cheek. "God, S, I have been dealing with all of these people without you! Archibald is just unbearably obnoxious, Humphrey 1 is just way too nice for her own good and Humphrey 2 doesn't know how to bake a proper pie. I love him but that's just ungodly."

Serena wrapped her arms around Blair for another hug. But Serena felt like crying. She figured Dan loved Blair but Serena couldn't admit to it. She wouldn't. You always still loved your first love. You always will; so Dan just needs some time to figure his feelings out for Blair, just like Vanessa and then they would be okay. She saw the way he looked at her in the airport; he had missed her.

"B, I'm so sorry I left. Being back…it's really great." Blair pulled away and had a huge smile on her face.

"Do you want to come back?" Serena nodded slowly, not sure but she only knew one thing she wanted for sure. Dan.

"Well, then, celebratory champagne for my best friend returning to where she belongs! Humphrey 2, will you and Nate go pick some up at home for us?" Dan smiled and wrapped his arms around Blair. Serena felt sick.

"Yes I would love to but you have my keys. Since you left your purse at home." Serena almost gasped. He had keys? Blair leaving her purse at home? Almost unheard of. Serena did those kind of things and that's one of the reasons Dan loved her. For her forgetfulness.

Blair held up a key chain. "There you are. And hurry back! I haven't seen you all day." Dan smirked.

"Oh, you will be seeing me a lot tonight. To catch up for five days worth of not seeing me a lot." He wiggled his eyebrows and Jenny snorted.

"Dude! Jenny's here!" More like Serena's here! Did anyone care? She sat down on the floor when she suddenly felt too sick to stand. Dan and Blair had sex. Lots of sex probably.

"Goodbye boys. Love you Nate!"

"Love you too Jen." Nate kissed Jenny and then they left.

Blair still looked happy from Dan's comment and was biting her lip; focusing on the pie in the oven. Serena didn't know how much more she could take.

"S! Picture with Dan, Nate and Jenny!"

Serena was on autopilot now. After a night and all day with "new" Blair, she was exhausted. New Blair did everything extremely fast. From making food to doing the dishes to trimming the flowers to talking about the new Gucci line while on the elliptical. She was full of energy and Serena was not. Serena was still in Cali-chill mode while Blair was New York's busiest bee.

How did Jenny, Nate and Dan deal with this all day, every day?

She finally gained the courage to pull Dan aside because, despite her feelings of anger and resentment towards Blair, she was genuinely worried about her best friend.

"What is going on with Blair, Dan? She is driving me up the wall." Dan laughed and Serena smiled, he was tired too. Maybe that would be a reason for him to leave her?

"She's a piece of work, isn't she? After her mother ad Cyrus moved to London last December, she has been so excited to have her own penthouse. She redecorated everything and moved out of her old bedroom, into her mother's old room. Reconstructed the whole penthouse really and ever since she has been doing that; there's no stopping her. Wait till you see the place though. She did an amazing job. God, you will see why she is like this."

Serena nodded politely and smiled when need be but she felt odd listening to Dan speak about Blair like this. With so much passion and so much-"I moved in about two months ago. Officially sold the loft about two or three weeks ago."

Serena was gob smacked. Dan was not in Brooklyn anymore? He was no longer Dan…from Brooklyn? She came with a thousand ways to intelligently ask more about it but all she came up with was, "Are you sad?"

He laughed and smiled beautifully at her. "No, I'm not really sad about leaving. Actually, I haven't been this happy since high school. When I dated you."

The way he said it was as if it was just casual dating. Like he hadn't lost his virginity to the woman next to him. Like he hadn't loved her. Like she hadn't loved him. It didn't break her heart as it should because she was too ecstatic that he had never been happier than when he was with her.

"That's good. And, I wanted to-"

"Serena and Dan! Bonding time is over! We are heading out!" Blair clomped around in her brand new pumps that she had bought yesterday at exactly store closing time. Serena had been trying to catch her breath when Blair tore out of Bloomingdale's and said they were off to the next stop.

Dan smiled at Blair. "Alright, alright," he turned to Serena, "She's been worried that we wouldn't get enough time to spend together. Now look what she's doing. Blair claims that she read that step-brothers and sisters should spend more time together than ex-boyfriends. I.e. Nate." Serena laughed with Dan but she secretly gasped.

She knew that he did technically consider her as a step sister but also as an ex-girlfriend as well. Had Blair forgotten in her bustle to make her dream home that Serena and Dan had dated for their whole junior year almost?

The pre-dinner arrangements went off marvelously efficiently in Blair…and Dan's new, beautiful penthouse. The floor plan was perfect. And Blair…and Dan's bedroom was gorgeous. Dan had made a very funny joke about the closet space but Serena had been too preoccupied with looking at the pictures in the room. Three were of Blair and her as kids, teens and adults. One was of Nate and Blair at their Colombia graduation. There was even one of Blair and Chuck at the opening at his new hotel that he half dedicated to Blair and half to Nate, The Archwald. But on the desk and on the bedside tables, there were three of Dan and Blair on each. Most of them were of them on their two trips to Europe. But there were a few of Dan, Nate, Blair and Jenny at balls and parties. They all looked so happy without her…and Chuck, she guessed. There was a new Non-Judging Breakfast Club and she wasn't in it.

After the preparations and Blair's wrath, the Waldorf…Humphrey penthouse was filled with guests. Anne Archibald, Serena's mother and Rufus, Eric and his boyfriend, Gregory, Dorota and her family of Vanya and her three beautiful daughters, Chuck with his "date" and a few other guests. As Serena watched Dan and Blair exchange their thanks and kiss each other throughout the day and night, it made her think of something. If it was so bad now, at Thanksgiving, how bad would be at Christmas? Mistletoes and gifts. Dan's Christmas spirit that matched Blair's Thanksgiving cheer.

Mistletoes…huh, maybe that was her way to finally catch Dan? She'd try it. She would try anything.

**Review? XOXO, Nellbell222**

**And as I wrote this, I already decided that I am going to do at least six chapters but if you want me to stretch it out longer than that, just tell me! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow! I'm so happy that everyone likes it! This chapter is kind of like holding a treat just out a dog's reach and just when the dog thinks it's going to get exactly what it wants; it's snatched away! **

**WARNING: Brief language because Nate gets PISSED at Serena.**

_**DISCLAIMER:::::: I DON"T OWN GOSSIP GIRL **_**(oops! I forgot this on the other chapters!) **

**Green With Envy 3.0- Christmas **

**By: Nellbell222**

Serena was not hiding.

Hiding was for the fearful, vulnerable and weak. You would hide from something you are afraid of. She liked to call what she was doing…hibernation. Serena, like a bear, was simply keeping herself safe from the New York City elements. One is being a bubbly blonde, another being the Upper's East Side's signature stud, the next being her best friend and last being the love of Serena's life.

Staying inside her hotel room insured that she would not have to see any of the "elements" and/or participate in any party, social gathering, or family dinner that her mother so willingly planned these days. Sure, Serena missed shopping and eating non-room service meals but she was perfectly intent with being inside if it meant that she would never have to see any of those "happy" people ever again.

In mid-December, 3 weeks into hibernation, Serena was painting her nails a vibrant shade of pink. It was something that reminded her of the old days when she and Blair were actually best friends. Even if that was more than ten years ago.

It was between her second and third toe when her phone rang. Serena usually left her phone to go to voicemail during the past couple hibernation weeks but maybe some Christmas spirit made her look at the caller ID and that was when she saw Dan Humphrey's name shining in the pale light coming from the bedside lamp.

She sprang across her bed to pick up the phone and as a result, smearing her freshly painted left foot all over her freshly washed comforter.

"Hello?" Serena tried to wipe some of the neon color off the plain, beige bed that was hotel property but in turn, smudged more polish with her even more newly painted right foot.

"Hey Serena! It's Dan. Where have you been these last couple weeks? Decided to go along with the forest animals and hibernate?"

Serena laughed and her mind drifted from how she was going to dispose of the evidence of pure desperation to how similar Dan and she actually were. How could they not end up when they were so perfect for each other?

"Something like that. So, what were you calling about?" She tried to seem aloof and uninterested; as if she had something better to do when she secretly just wanted to hear his voice again.

"Well, firstly, Lily wanted to tell you that Christmas is going to be at the penthouse. And with that, Blair wants to have Christmas at…well, just like Thanksgiving."

Serena smirked. Dan didn't know whether to call it Blair's house or their house. No matter how much that made Serena happy, she was curious and she pursued the matter.

"Huh? Where did we have Thanksgiving again?" Serena figured she was being a little cruel by pushing Dan into a corner and making him confront his doubts but she wanted to know what he considered their relationship to be. Or if the place he was living in was really his home.

"Blair's latest project. Also referred to as the Waldorf penthouse." He deflected it so well that Dan almost had Serena fooled into thinking that is exactly what he called it but she knew better. She knew **him** better. And because they knew each other so well, could it be easy to fall back into their relationship once this Blair-thing was over? Their relationship sin the on and off again nature that is.

"That sounds good to me. Who is going to be going? Is it like a party or just family?"

Dan cleared his throat. "Uh, just family I think. I know Eleanor and Cyrus are coming from London just before Christmas Eve and same with Howard and Roman. Then our parents, you, Nate and his mother, if she decides she wants to. And then I'm thinking Chuck and whoever date he chooses to bring."

Serena noticed one tiny detail that Dan wanted her to overlook.

"Dan, why aren't you and Jenny on that list? Did something happen?"

He sighed. Something happened. "Uh, Jenny wasn't on it to begin with. She had planned going up to see our mom in Hudson anyways. But, I on the other hand…yeah, I'm a new addition. Blair thought it would be best for me to not be there."

"Why? What happened?" Serena propped herself against her headboard and wiggled her toes in excitement. How did Dan not get invited to Christmas Eve at his own house?

"Blair didn't tell you? Well, Blair and I got into an argument…no, I'm lying; it was a full blown battle. Like Blair crying and throwing tissue boxes at me kind of fight."

Serena gave her most convincing sigh of sadness and then said with all the care and concern laced into her voice, "Tell me everything."

"So, I have a work trip that I have to go on soon. Blair knew about it and it was only going to be for a week. But, now, my boss wants me to go for a little longer. He really loved my cultural pieces I did before and wants me to go on a two year stay in Europe and send him interesting articles. And I would have said no, I have to stay here but the New Yorker called yesterday and said that they wanted to do a whole, twenty page spread on me, my books and my travels."

Serena guessed that this is why Dan was so hesitant about saying that the Waldorf penthouse was his home; he didn't know how much longer it would be. Blair was a smart girl and knew how important this would be to Dan's career as an author and writer but couldn't bear to let him leave for two years. She almost laughed, thinking that this was the stuff right out of one of Dan's popular books.

"Blair wants me to stay and I don't know if I can. The New Yorker representative said that after the spread, he couldn't understand why his boss would say no to place me on staff as a junior editor or even editor."

That was Dan's dream. To be a writer and to work for the New Yorker. He already has one down and the other is just brushing his finger tips. And Blair holding him back was not a good sign for their relationship. This made Serena tingle with anticipation. She knew Dan lov…liked Blair a lot but this was more important. This was his career.

"Oh, Dan, how can you pass it up? I mean, c'mon, it's the New Yorker!"

He snorted and Serena beamed. This was just like old times when they used to sit around his loft or anywhere and just talk about anything. Just because they could.

"I know Serena, but I love her."

The words cut through her like a knife but she needed to keep it together. Serena could only do that with one thought in her mind; if Blair kept Dan from this, he would never forgive her.

"She thinks that I'm going to run off with some Russian bride even though I told her I'm not going to Russia. Or some blonde, Swedish Olympian swimmer or something stupid . And that's how the real battle began…Serena, I just don't know what I'm going to do."

"Well, you just have to do what your heart tells you to do. Whatever that may be. It's your life Dan. You are going to have to live with the choices." Serena could almost feel him nodding through the phone. She had to admit that those were not her words but a line from her favorite soap opera.

"Thanks Serena. I know what I need to do. I'll see you at Christmas. If my dad calls you, tell him I took a trip."

"Hey! Where are you going for ten days?"

"I have something I have to do in Hudson. But I have to make two pit stops along the way. Bye Serena."

He hung up the phone before she could even say goodbye.

The holidays this time around were much more enjoyable than last. Maybe it was because she knew that Dan was going to break up with Blair, but this time it was very fun. Blair and she could talk without Serena wanting to cut off Blair's hair or maybe that was due to the fact that Blair was more drunk than Chuck at last year's New Year's Eve party where he told Serena that he boobs were lopsided. Blair avenged Serena when she told Chuck's date that he hated all types of animals and that the dog he had was really just a rental. He used animals to get in her pants.

She was a veterinarian.

Everyone mixed and mingled except for one, lonely Upper East Sider. Nathaniel Archibald sat on the end table in the parlor, even after being scolded by Blair multiple times, and he was moping. Serena watched him as he stared into his glass of bourbon as if it had all the answers to his clearly visible problems.

"Hi. You've been kind of a Scrooge this Christmas Eve."

Nate's lips twitched from a frown to a twisted grimace that made him look as if he was chewing on a lime. Serena couldn't understand why. He must know that she was just kidding; they always used to kid around with each other.

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't be too happy either if your girlfriend you love isn't here to spend Christmas Eve with you after your dad just came to your apartment saying that he needed some money so he could be 'high as the angels' on Christmas. Jen is my only comfort when it comes to my dad and she's not here. So, excuse me if I'm crushing the mood a bit."

Serena was not good at sympathy when it came to Nate. That was mostly because he never really needed cheering up. He was always the one that was 'high as the angels' or in a good mood because that was just who Nate Archibald was. Nate was never deep or really in touch with his feelings so he never expressed them much and Serena liked that. But, tonight he just openly spread them all out on the table. Had she missed Nate growing up?

"I'm really sorry Nate…"

"Serena, just stop." His voice was angry; not something Serena had ever really seen. Sure he had been mad before but never like he was now.

"As much as I appreciate the damn pity party, you really have no idea what is going on with my family. My dad almost OD'd on meth the other day. He probably will die soon if I can't get him to **another** rehab place. My mother is having a fucking mid-life crisis and wants to open a bakery and I have to be the one who heads up the financing. Not that I'm trying to get my Dartmouth law degree or anything on top working for my grandfather to pay off my father's debt to the company."

"So, Miss I-Can't-Get-Over-Dan-Humphrey, I don't want your fucking sympathy."

He sighed and looked away from Serena. God, he knew! Nate really did grow up.

"I didn't know you knew."

He laughed, but in the way Dan used to do when he was mad at her. It sounded so foreign coming from Nate's lips.

"That's all you got from that? Typical Serena. Only cares about herself." Nate made a move to get off the end table when the elevator doors opened up to show Dan in the flesh. Nate sank back down. He slowly raised his glass.

"Well, here is to Serena van der Woodsen getting everything she wants. Like that is something new."

Serena looked to Blair, who was chatting with her mother, turned to see why everyone stopped talking. Serena saw her eyes grow sad and slightly angry.

"Humphrey. I thought you were in Hudson."

"I was. But then I had to come here because I've decided to go to Europe and do the article for my magazine and the New Yorker."

Serena's heart jumped to her throat. Wow, Nate was right; he was breaking up with her.

"Oh. So this needed to be said in front of everyone? On Christmas Eve? Couldn't it have waited Humphrey?"

Dan nodded. "Yes this needed to be said in front of everyone. Yes on Christmas Eve. And no it couldn't wait. Two years is a long time Blair for a long distance relationship."

"Please, Dan, you're embarrassing me. Can't we just do this outside?"

"No, Blair, we need to do it right here."

This was finally happening. Dan was breaking up with Blair. And in enough time, she and Dan could finally be a couple. A wounded Humphrey always came back to Serena no matter what. Then later they could get married and have children. Serena could barely contain her excitement.

That's when Dan fell to the floor.

"Blair Cornelia Waldorf,"

Get up Dan! What is he doing? Did he drop something? Is he alright?

"Will you marry me?"

Boom! The shot that surely could have been heard all over the Upper East Side, New York City, the state, the country, the world! Serena was watching her happy ending with Blair in her spot.

Blair's eyes were full of tears, from the earlier embarrassment and fear but now, tears of joy were spilling across Blair's porcelain skin.

"I know it's only been a year and a half Blair but I've known since we were sophomores in college that I loved you. And I wouldn't have proposed so early; I would have waited the appropriate three years like you said you wanted but I know you are worried that I'm going to leave you if I go to Europe. So I wanted to show you that I'm not going anywhere.

Blair nodded. "Humphrey, did you ask my dads?"

"I did. I spent a lovely few days in both London and France."

"Then yes, Humphrey! A million times over!"

The room applauded and there wasn't a dry eye, including Serena's.

And that's when Nate Archibald leaned over the space between the couch where Serena was sitting and she saw how happy he looked to hear this terrible news. Didn't Serena deserve to have someone on her side?

"I guess there is a new toast. To the future Mrs. Daniel Randolph Humphrey."

**Review? **

**XOXO Nellbell222**

**Okay, personally I loved angry Nate. Very hot. And I loved him being angry at Serena for not being his friend and not being a good friend to Blair or Dan. All in all, I thought this was one hell of a chapter on my part. **

**Tell me what you think! **


End file.
